How to Substitute Milk in Your Pancake Recipes

Who said vegans can’t enjoy fluffy and delicious pancakes? Or those who are lactose intolerant? Who said you can’t make your favorite pancake recipe just because you have run out of milk?

There is a number of milk substitutes you can use for cooking and baking.

Substituting Milk with Other Dairy Products in Pancake Recipes

The best choice is to replace milk with another dairy product. Wonder which one? There’s more than one option:

Evaporated milk is probably the best substitute. Mix one can of evaporated milk with water in 1:1 ratio, then replace the regular milk required in the recipe with this mixture in the same amount. Condensed milk can be used in the same way but in this case, bear in mind that it is sweetened and reduce the amount of sugar called for in the pancakes recipe.

Powdered milk will do the trick as well. Prepare it following the instructions on the package or, if you are like me, add 1-2 teaspoons more than the amount of powdered milk required in the instructions. I find prepared powdered milk rather bland.

Sour cream or yogurt can also replace milk in equal amounts. If you decide to go with yogurt, choose the plain, unsweetened version. If all you have is Green yogurt or sour cream, dilute them with water first. If you have only flavored yogurt versions, expect your dessert to obtain the same flavor note. This is not always a bad thing. For instance, vanilla-flavored yogurt will make your pancakes even better. However, I have tried mango-flavored yogurt in chocolate pancakes and I wasn’t thrilled with the result. As you might have guessed, this is also forbidden in case you’re making savory pancakes. So, before adding flavored yogurt, consider the recipe.

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Plant-Based Milk Substitutes

Vegans love plant-based milk and for a good reason. They are great replacements for regular milk and work great in pancakes. Just replace the amount of milk required in the recipe with the same amount of plant-based milk of choice: soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, cashew milk… Different types of milk have different flavors that will also affect the flavor of your pancakes. I find these perfect for nutty pancakes – almond milk is ideal for pancakes that contain crushed almonds!

However, if you don’t want any extra flavors in your pancake recipes, the best option is rice milk since it is closest in taste to cow’s milk. Bear in mind that rice milk is thinner than cow’s milk so the texture of your flapjacks will probably be different than you’re used to.

To solve this problem, opt for unflavored soy milk. It is thicker and will contribute the necessary texture.

Another reason why soy is good is that it contains high levels of protein. Besides being important for health reasons, this is also important for fluffiness. To be more precise, milk and acid have the same effect of buttermilk in making the pancakes soft, tall, and fluffy. To replace buttermilk, combine a cup of soy milk with 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let the mixture stand for five minutes before adding it to the batter. Other suitable plant-based milk alternatives are oat and hemp milk (although the latter is a bit strong in flavor).

Can You Replace Milk with Water in Pancakes?

The answer is yes, water can be used instead of milk but there will be certain changes in taste and texture. Your flapjacks will probably not be as soft and fluffy and they’ll taste less creamy than those made with milk.

It is best to add one tablespoon of butter for each cup of water you use to make up for the fat lost with the exclusion of milk. If you’re vegan, you can use nut butter for this purpose. To add some extra flavor, consider adding chocolate chips, berries, or vanilla extract to the pancake batter.

Dairy-Free Pancake Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 cup whole wheat

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ripe banana

1 egg

3 tablespoons almond milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons chocolate chips

Method of preparation:

Preheat a frying pan to medium heat. Mash the banana with baking powder. Add the egg, almond milk, oil, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the oats and whole wheat flour until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop about 1/4 cup per pancake onto the greased pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

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I believe that food should not only taste good, but make you feel good as well and that is why I am so interested in exploring ingredients, preparing meals, and finding ways to make the whole cooking experience fun and exciting! Being a blogger for MyGreatRecipes unites my two passions – food and writing, and I am enjoying every second of it!

Our Editors:

I believe that food should not only taste good, but make you feel good as well and that is why I am so interested in exploring ingredients, preparing meals, and finding ways to make the whole cooking experience fun and exciting! Being a blogger for MyGreatRecipes unites my two passions – food and writing, and I am enjoying every second of it!

I’m in love with food and everything about food! Blogging is my way of celebrating that love and MyGreatRecipes made it all happen. If you, too, are into great food and interesting reads, you will enjoy reading my posts!

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